


We Go Together

by TeacupTigress



Category: Lamento -BEYOND THE VOID-
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Minor Character Death, silliness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-23
Updated: 2016-06-23
Packaged: 2018-07-16 18:29:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7279213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeacupTigress/pseuds/TeacupTigress
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just a silly little fic about what Asato gets up to when left to his own devices.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We Go Together

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SunFallDown](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunFallDown/gifts).



Countless colors, sounds and scents blended together in a jumble, dizzying the eye and muddling the senses. For the half-wild cat from Kira, the town of Ransen seemed more treacherous than the deepest, darkest forests he’d known. The wide streets bustled with Ribika; from the merchants loudly hawking their wares from stalls, to the gaudily dressed revelers. Cats throughout the city were enthusiastically celebrating Antou, the three-day winter festival. 

Strung between the tall stone buildings, banners bearing the crest of Ransen fluttered and swayed in the breeze. The cool air carried the mouthwatering smell of roasting meat, as well as other interesting aromas, but not even they could tempt Asato down from his rooftop perch. Ransen was far too noisy and busy for his tastes. It was far removed from his quiet hometown, a secluded little village hidden away in the remote lands of Shisa. Each side street and alley held the promise of new discoveries, new adventure, however those same paths could lead to danger. Shifty cats, those who shirked the law, prowled the back alleys. Thieves, hustlers and killers lurked, preying on unsuspecting cats. With more and more people pouring into the city for the festivities, they would certainly have their pick of victims.

Ransen was a contradiction; to Asato it seemed like a ripe kuim – appetizing on the outside but the core was rotten and crawling with worms. After much deliberation, the dark haired cat decided that he rather preferred the ordinary dangers of the woods. 

Despite all the perils of Ransen, nothing seemed more alarming than the four devils who had followed them back from the Field of Four Colors. Asato thought they all smelled suspicious. They made his fur stand on end, especially the blue haired one, and he couldn’t help but lose his temper whenever they casually discussed eating Konoe. They often went off in search of clues that would lead them to Leaks, yet another distasteful person determined to hurt to him friend. Fortunately now seemed to be one of those times, and he felt much safer knowing they weren’t around.

Though his eyes never stopped scanning the restless crowd below, his gaze never strayed too far from the brown cloaked figure carefully winding their way through the press of bodies. Asato’s tail swayed fondly as he traced Konoe’s meandering path down the main street as he paused every now and then with at a street stall. Earlier that morning he had declined the smaller cat’s invitation to observe the festivities. Asato was inclined to quiet and he found the commotion on the main street overwhelming. Besides, it was much easier to spot trouble from up high, like, for example, the crafty pickpocket working the crowd. 

It also gave him time to ponder over his current predicament. In Kira whenever he needed an item he would simply barter for it. The people in this town, however, only accepted metal coins in exchange for their wares, a custom which continued to vex Asato. The she shiny, round things were pretty but functionally useless. They certainly couldn’t fill his empty stomach. He backed his ears, thinking harder. These coins could be used to purchase goods and services. The problem was acquiring them. Could one purchase money with money? Now he was right back to where he started. Trying to think up a solution seemed as productive as a kitten chasing its tail and in the meantime, he was only getting hungrier and hungrier. He eyed the stall, where a cat turned bits of spiced meat on a spit over a fire, then shook his head. Konoe had already scolded him once for taking a chicken skewer without paying and he didn’t want to fend off yet another angry merchant and risk causing more trouble for Konoe. His ears and tail drooped. 

Asato turned his attention back to Konoe and noticed him chatting animatedly with a familiar looking figure who’s cat’s rust red hair stood out like a beacon. That must be the longtime friend Konoe spoke of – Tokino, he believed the cat was called. Konoe didn’t look as if he was leaving anytime soon, and so Asato decided that now was the best time to seek a solution to his little money problem. Pulling his weather stained cloak tighter around his lean, muscled frame, he skillfully leapt to the neighboring roof, scaling the gray hued buildings that lead to his next destination.

\--

“Eh? What are talking about, kid? Speak up!” The older cat scolded, his striped tail flicking in annoyance. A tray stacked with bowls of steaming hot liquid was balanced on each muscled arm, and he had an inn full of hungry customers clamoring for attention. 

“Coins...,” Asato repeated, blinking slowly at him through the window. “Where do I get them...?”

“Ah, you mean money, right? Well, you do what any hardworking person does. Get a job,” Bardo concluded, placing the soup down on a table. “And why are you hanging upside down like that? Are you a cat or a bat? Come inside and talk like a normal person!”

Asato ignored the comment, and after a long moment in thought posed another question. “How do I find one?”

“It’s the middle of Antou, kid. There’s bound to be someone out there looking for an extra pair of hands. As long as you’re not too picky I’m sure you’ll find something.”

Asato furrowed his brows, turning this new information over in his mind. Bardo sighed loudly, and motioned to him. “Actually, now that I think about it, I can just imagine all the trouble someone like you could get into.” He rubbed his bearded chin thoughtfully, then snapped his fingers. “I might have something you can do. How ‘bout it?”

Curiosity peaked, Asato dropped down from the branch he had been clinging to and climbed inside. 

Bardo brandished a small plain envelope with a name scribbled on the front. “I was supposed to meet an acquaintance today, but with all the new customers I won’t be able to get away,” he said with an easy smile. “There’s a small bar in a back alley not far from here. Give this to the owner for me and you’ll get a nice reward.” 

Asato tucked the envelope into his shirt and turned to leave. “Oh, and be careful. Some shady types hang around that area. I’m sure you’ll be able to handle yourself.” Bardo clapped him on the back, prompting a scowl from Asato at the over familiar gesture. “Now off you go, and no peeking.”

\--

The bar was tucked away at the end of a narrow, winding street. Rough looking cats drifted in and out of the shabby, unremarkable structure and loitered against the walls nearby. Asato paid no mind to the challenging glares he received as he strode up to door and ducked inside. The cloying smell of tobacco, undercut with stale sweat and old grease, made his nose wrinkle. The interior was as dim and dingy as the outside, wreathed in smoke and filled with raucous banter from the drunken patrons. 

At the end of the room, a very large older cat stood behind a counter, polishing glasses and watching the room with steely eyes set beneath bushy gray brows. They narrowed as Asato strode up the counter.“Kiril?”

“Yeah?” 

Asato held out the envelope. “Bardo,” he said simply, and the bar owner tore it open and began to read, his face becoming gradually darker as his eyes darted across the paper. Asato stiffened when he slammed it onto the counter with a curse, drawing curious stares. “That bastard. Who does he think he is?" he grumbled into his thick beard, pulling out a pen and jotting a few notes down on the back. He reached into a pocket on his dirty apron and Asato’s ears pricked at the sound of jingling. 

The older cat slapped a handful of silver coins onto the counter on top of the letter and pushed them towards Asato. “For you.” He nodded at the money. “Tell Bardo the deal is still on,” he said gruffly dismissing him with a curt nod. 

\--

Money and letter secured, Asato exited the bar, happy to be free from the grungy atmosphere and back into the clear air. The coins jangled in his pocket, a cheerful sound, and Asato’s stomach rumbled at the thought of all the delicious meat he could now afford. He decided he would get one or two before heading back to the inn, and his feet carried him through the labyrinth of alleys toward the bustle of the main street. Up ahead the path branched, with alleys opening up on either side. Suddenly Asato slowed and pushed off his hood. He cocked his head, ears swiveling to and fro as the sounds of stealthy footsteps grew louder, from in front and behind. He turned to see a tall, lanky cat in a ratty tunic slink from around the corner, a sharp knife in his hand and a sly look on his face. Two others, armed with crude weapons, moved to block his retreat. Asato immediately recognized them as the cats from the Kiril’s bar. Asato’s hand moved to his weapon. His ears flattened and his tail lashed in anticipation of violence. His body tensed, attuned to the minute movements of his attackers. 

“Hand over your money and that pretty little blade of yours and we won’t hurt you – much.” The leader bared his teeth in a feral smile, prompting mocking laughter from the two at Asato’s back. 

The dark haired cat coolly surveyed the trio. They were equipped with crude weaponry; short knives and clubs, and he could tell by the way they held themselves that they were little more than unskilled thugs, used to overwhelming their victims with numbers and dirty tricks. The leader was overconfident, convinced his plan of attack was foolproof. Asato would use this to his advantage. 

He pulled his own sword free and dropped into a fighting stance. Rage twisted the leader’s face when he realized Asato had no intention of surrendering. At his signal, the others charged. One swung his club at Asato’s head and missed. The other grabbed at his tail in an attempt to capture him. Asato sidestepped the clumsy assault with ease. His claws lefts bloody stripes across the closest cat’s face, who yowled and stumbled backwards. 

The leader bounded forward, his blade arcing towards Asato, but the move left him wide open. Asato darted in with practiced ease and buried his blade in the thief’s unprotected stomach. Without a sound, he crumbled to the ground to lie unmoving.  
Blood lust pounding in his veins, Asato rounded on his remaining attackers. The death of their leader sapped their will to fight. They shrank away in fear at the murderous look on his face and turned tail, fleeing back the way they came. Asato sheathed his blade, having no desire to pursue them. 

The sound of boot heels against stone alerted Asato to another presence in the alley. His ears lay flat against his head as he spotted a distasteful figure squatting next to the dead thief. “How troublesome,” the cat remarked. His pale face was impassive but the twitching tip of his white tail communicated his displeasure. Rai straightened, leveling an icy glare at Asato. “This cat was my mark. He might have had important information regarding Leaks, and now you’ve gone and killed him.”

“You were watching?” Asato ground out. From the moment Asato knew from the moment he met the white haired cat that they would be mortal enemies. Everything about Rai - his arrogance, haughty demeanor, and his propensity to insult everyone around him - all rubbed Asato the wrong way. Whenever Rai spoke, Asato was overcome with the desire to rake his claws across his smug face. 

“Of course.” Rai’s lips curved in a mocking smile. “Your idiocy makes for good entertainment. That trap was so obvious even a kitten could have spotted it, yet you walked right into it.”

Asato bristled. “You’re a bounty hunter, but you can’t even catch a simple thief… If I’m an idiot, what does that make you?”

Rai’s good eye narrowed. “There’s nothing wrong with my skills, and I’ll be happy to prove it.” He took a step closer and growled. “It’s been a while since we last fought. I won’t hold back this time.”

Hands gripping their sword hilts and bristled tails lashing, the two glared, each daring the other to make the first move. 

“Asato! Rai,” an exasperated voice called out. “Are you two fighting again?” 

“Konoe.” Asato called out, his anger melting away at the sight of the smaller cat’s approach. Asato moved to stand before Konoe. Dropping his head, he nudged Konoe’s affectionately, and after a moment of surprise, the brown haired cat returned the greeting with a shy smile. 

Just then Konoe noticed the thief’s body. “What happened?” He asked with a note of worry in his voice. “Are you okay?”

“This idiot walked head first into a trap – how embarrassing.” Rai gave a long suffering sigh and crossed his arms. “As Tougas go, he appears to be a rather poor one.”

With murder on his mind, Asato growled and would have attacked the taller cat if Konoe hadn’t acted quickly. “That’s a terrible thing to say, Rai. You should apologize,” Konoe said disapprovingly, grabbing Asato and holding him back. “I think Asato is a great Touga. I always feel much better when he’s around.” 

“…Really?” Asato turned grateful eyes to Konoe, who dropped his gaze in nervous embarrassment. His words filled Asato with warmth and he happily began to nuzzle him again. Rai rolled his eye and turned away.

“Konoe,” Asato asked suddenly, lifting his head. “Why are you here? Tired of the festival?”  
Konoe shook his head. “There’s going to be a parade later. I was heading back to the inn to ask Bardo about it, but then I followed the shouting and found you two.”

Asato tilted his head quizzically. “The inn… isn’t this way,” he said, noting how Konoe started to fidget awkwardly. “Wrong direction.”

“I know that-,” Konoe mumbled back. “-now.”

Rai made a noise of disapproval. “Lost again?” Konoe went red. “Who ever heard of a cat with no direction? A fine pair of fools the two of you make. I’m leaving before you start to rub off on me.” He spun on his heel and strode away, calling over his shoulder, “Try not to get yourselves killed.”

Secretly Asato also thought it was a rather embarrassing quirk, but he kept it to himself knowing it was a sore point for Konoe. Instead Asato sought to raise his spirits by showing him the money he had earned and telling him about how he had come by it. That seemed to cheer him up a bit, and Konoe chided him, saying that he would have purchased the skewers for him if Asato had only asked.

His ears twitched as lively music and excited exclamations reached them. Konoe’s head lifted. “The parade must be starting. Asato, let’s go see!”

“Okay,” Asato nodded. “But first there’s something I want to do.”

\---

The procession was already underway by the time they made their way back to the main street. The sun was beginning to set and countless lanterns hung above the street. Performers wearing devil masks and flamboyant costumes leapt and cavorted to the music, preceding several large, colorfully decorated floats.

The streets were packed with cats, all vying with one another for the best view. Asato had little trouble seeing the entertainers, but the much shorter Konoe was unable to see anything, so the dark haired cat suggested they move to higher ground.

\---

Asato hauled himself onto the inn’s roof and paused to peer down at Konoe, who was following him up more cautiously. The large tree growing beside the inn was much easier to climb than sheer stone walls, but Konoe was having a difficult time balancing with an armful of festival food. He wanted to call down to the smaller cat but he couldn’t do much with the chicken skewers clenched between his teeth. He considered offering Konoe a hand, but those were filled too. The money he had received for his services had been more than enough to suit his needs. He even had some coins to spare.

Panting, Konoe stepped on the roof. “Asato, you must be half monkey,” he panted. “That’s the first time I’ve seen a cat climb a tree without the use of their hands.”

The procession was just beginning to make its way past the inn and now the pair could see everything just fine. They settled down on the edge, sitting shoulder to shoulder with tails entwined. Asato hungrily downed one skewer after another, while an excitable Konoe pointed out each intricately decorated float. He ‘oohed’ and ‘aahed’ at the masked dancers heading the pack, then frowned a bit, pointing at a horned one dressed in black and green, saying “doesn’t that one look a bit like Froud?” 

Truthfully, the larger cat wasn’t paying much attention to the parade. A tender smile curled his lips as he took in Konoe’s beaming face, half lit by the warm light of the lanterns. He moved closer and Konoe laid his head on Asato’s shoulder, giving his tail a gentle squeeze.

Maybe, Asato thought. Ransen wasn’t so bad after all.


End file.
